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<br />exist. The county government is working to retain the open space of
<br />the flood plain areas. The South Platte River flows from south to
<br />north through the western end of the county. Big Dry Creek flows
<br />northeast, across the county's northwestern corner. Little Dry
<br />Creek flows southeast from the southwestern part of the county to
<br />its confluence with Clear Creek, which flows northeast from the
<br />southwest corner of Adams County into the South Platte River. Box
<br />Elder Creek and Comanche Creek flow north through the center of the
<br />county. Little Comanche Creek flows north from the southern corpo-
<br />rate limit into Comanche Creek. Niver Creek flows east from western
<br />Adams County into Northfield Creek, which flows north into the South
<br />Platte River.
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<br />Principal Flood Problems
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<br />Major recorded floods have occurred on the South Platte River and
<br />its tributaries since 1844 in the Adams County area. During that
<br />period, eleven devastating floods have occurred on the South Platte
<br />River, three on Clear Creek, and three each on Box Elder, Comanche,
<br />and Bijou Creeks.
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<br />In 1844 and 1864, reports stated that "bottomlands near Denver were
<br />covered with water bluff to bluff" (Reference 1), By 1876, encroach-
<br />ment into the flood plain had developed to such an extent that on
<br />May 23, 1876, the Rocky Mountain News reported that, "(The South
<br />Platte River) was higher to be sure...several feet higher perhaps ia
<br />l864...but it was not able to work such destruction at that time as
<br />now. There was not so much town here in 1864, as now, nor as many
<br />bridges." (Referericie 1),
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<br />The most significant floods of recent times on the South Platte
<br />River occurred in 1912, 1921, 1933, 1935, 1942, 1965, and 1973. The
<br />discharges for these floods were 13,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) ,
<br />8,790 cfs, 22,000 cfs, 12,320 cfs, 10,200 cfs, 40,300 cfs, and
<br />33,000 cfs, respectively,..at the Denver gage. Clear Creek experienced
<br />flood discharges of 8700 cfs, 5390 cfs, and 5250 cfs in 1888, 1933,
<br />and 1956, respectively recorded at the Golden Gage. Citizens inter-
<br />viewed in Watkins, Strasburg, Byers, and Deer Trail recalled severe
<br />damage and lives lost in 1905, 1933, 1935, and 1965 floods on Box
<br />Elder Creek, Comanche Creek, West Bijou Creek, and East Bijou Creek.
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<br />Almost all record floods on the South Platte River have been generated
<br />near the river"s headwaters on the slopes of Monument Divide, a high
<br />ridge located between Castle Rock and Colorado Springs, extending
<br />from the Rocky Mountains down to the plains near Limon, Colorado.
<br />Past floods have resulted from snowmelt and intensive rain storms
<br />over the mountain tributaries, rainstorms over the eastern tribu-
<br />taries, and combinations of these conditions.
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